Weighing-machine.



No. 842,665. PATENTED JAN. 29. 1907.

' G. HOEPNR.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 17, 1905.

. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 842,665. PATENTBI) JAN. 29, 1907.V G. HOEINER.

WBIGHING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED JAN. 29, 1907.

G. HOBPNER.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

GEORGE HOEPNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SCALE &

MFG. CO., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIA.

WEIGHING-IVIACHINE.

Patented Jan. 29, 1907.

Application filed June I7, 1905. Serial No. 265,761.

To all whom, 'llt 711/04,/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HoErNEn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in I/Veighing-Machines; and I declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, referencel being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to Weighing-machines, and moreparticularly to machines for weighing predetermined quantities ofmaterial directly in bags or other closures.

In automatic weighing-machines of the type covered by United StatesLetters Patent No. 761,587, granted to me on May 31, 1904, the materialto be weighed is supplied by gravity to a receptacle first in a largemain flow until the receptacle has nearly received the predeterminedquantity and subsequently in a small supplemental flow until the weightis counterbalanced. The flow of material to the receptacle is controlledby two gates, both of which are open during the main flow and then onegate is closed; but as it has a restricted opening through it the supplyof material continues in a supplemental or completing flow. The secondgate is closed entirely, cutting olf the supply when the predeterminedamount of material has been delivered to the receptacle.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a weighing-machine inwhich both the main supply and supplemental supply of material to thereceiving-closure will be automatically terminated by means directlyactuated by the movement of the scale-beam.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a weighing-machine ofthe type covered by my prior patent above referred to .improved meansforv varying the proportions of the material supplied before and afterthe discontinuance of the main supply.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improvedweighing-machine in which the material as it is automatically weighedwill be deposited directly in a bag or closure for containing the same.

vA still further object of my invention is to provide an improvedWeighing machine which will be comparatively simple in construction,inexpensive in manufacture, and ellicient in operation.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which the same is illustrated as embodiedin a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure l is anelevational view; Fig. 2, a side elevational view looking from the rightin Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail view of the spring-plunger, Fig.4, a view showing both of the gates open; Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig.4, showing one of the gates closed; Fig. 6, a horizontal sectional viewthrough the supply-hopper, showing the gates in plan g Fig. 7, a planview of the outer gate; Fig. S, a detail view showing the riser inposition to break the toggle of the inner gate g and Fig. 9, a viewsimilar to Fig. S, showing the riser in position to break the toggle ofthe outer gate.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts inthe several figures of the drawings.

Reference-letter A indicates the top supporting-frame which is mountedupon posts g C, the pair of posts at each side of the machine, beingconnected at their lower ends by a base B.

Reference characters D and D2 indicate parallel arms for supporting thescale-beam D. rThe arms D and D2 are pivotally supported intermediate oftheir ends upon brackets af and a2, depending from the frame A. An arm dprojects outwardly from the sc ale-beam D and extends through the guideA3, projecting from and supported by the frame A.

e indicates a funnel adapted to extend within the upper end of a bag orclosure into which the material is deposited as it is weighed. Thefunnel c is pivotally connected, at opposite sides thereof, by means ofpivot-pins, one of which is shown at d2, Fig. l, with the inner ends ofthe arms D and D2 of the scale-beam. The funnel c is provided with armsc and c2, projecting from opposite sides thereof and supporting theupper ends of rods E3 and E4. The lower ends of the rods E:i and E'l aresecured to and support a platform E, upon which the bottom of the bag orclosure may rest. Any suitable means may be provided for adjustablysecuring the platform E to the rods E3 and E4, so that it may beadjusted vertically thereon IOO to support bags or closures of varioussizes in proper relation to the tunnel c. I have shown brackets E andE2, projecting up- Wardly from the ends ol' the platform and providedwith rings at their upper ends, surrounding the rods E3 and E1.Set-screws e3 and e4 adjust-ably secure the rings of the brackets to therods. The lower ends of the rods project through rings extendinglaterally from the platform, suitable locking means, such as set-screwse and e, being provided to retain the rods in the desired adjustmentrelative to the rings on the platform.

In order that the platform may be prevented from swinging with respectto the supporting-trame, a rod Nis provided., one end of which ispivotally connected to a bracket n, secured to the supporting-frame,while its other end is pivotally secured to a bracket a2, extenaing fromthe platform E olf the Weighing-trame.

G indicates a supply-hopper through Which the material passes to thefunnel c. The hopper G is supported upon the frame A and is providedwith a lower portion g, against which gates controlling' the passagewaythrough the hopper are adapted to swing.l

H indicates an inner gate which is provided with upwardly-extending armsL, which surround stub-shafts li" and One of the arms t is rig-illysecured to the stubshaft I4" by means of a set-screw 7L,while the otherarm i loosely surrounds the stub-shaft The stub-shaft .lf2 is rigidlysecured to one outer end of the hopper G-as, vtor instance, by ascrew-threaded projection engaging a socket in the hopper. Thestubsha'lft i1" is loosely supported at its inner end in a socket in theother sise wall of the hopper G. The gate H is provided with a notch it,extending 'from its inner edge, as shown in Fig. 6, so that when such.gate is closed the material may continue to Vl'low in a restricted.quantity through the hopper.

HZ indicates a second O'ate located outside of the vlirst gate and prov'l l with upwardlyprojecting arms loosely surrounding at their upperends the stub-shafts "n" and W. The gate H2 is provided with anupwardlyextenzling bracket H3, through which the setscrew 7L extendsinto the path oli movement of an ear on the inner gate H.

F indicates a hand-lever .fixed to the stubshatt F and by means ol whichthe inner gate s directly opened. andL the outer gate simultaneouslyopened through the contact of the ear on the inner gate with theset-screw 7i, carried by the outer gate.

K indicates a pair of toggle-links pivotally connected at one end to oneof the arms 7i of the inner gate and pivotally connected at its otherend to a bracket K, projecting from the frame A. K2 indicates a similarpair 'oli toggie-links pivotally connected at one end to an arm h2 ofthe outer gate and at its other end to the bracket K.

7c indicates stops projecting upwardly from the 'frame A, against whichthe joints ol' the toggle-links composing the pairs rest when the linksare in alinement.

Projecting upwardly from and rigidly secured to the scale-beam D is ariser K, extending imvardly at its upper end and underlying thetoggle-links. A cam 7i" at the end oli the riser K3 is adapted to breakthe togglelinks K after apredetermined movement of the scale-beam, whilea second cam 7a2 on the riser is adapted to break the toggle-links K2upon the completion of the movement ol: the scale-beam.

Suitable means are provided for limiting the movement of the scale-beamso that it will not rise sui'liciently to break the togglelinks K2 atthe same time that it breaks the toggle-links K. I have shown herein thesame means for this purpose as disclosed in my prior patent abovereferred to which consists in a raceway R, within which a ball s adaptedto be rolled. The raceway is pivotally supported. upon the vlrame A andis provided with an adjustable weight r, extending from the oppositeside ol" its iliulcrum 'from that in which the ball is supported.Projecting from the end el the raceway opposite to the weight r is astud which extends beneath the inturned upper end of a bracket 1,rigidly secured to the arm D2 of the scale-beam.

S designates an inclined lug 'Iixed upon the arm D2 in alinement with anopening in the raceway. Located in alinement above the lug S is a stopT, which depends 'from and is adjustably supported by a bracket t, projecting laterally from the arm A.

In order that the proportion of material supplied to the funnel e priorto closing the inner gate may be varied, thereby varying the quantity ofmaterial 'which must be supplied after the closing of such gate tocomplete the predetermined amount, I provide a spring-actuated plungerwhich. assists the movement of the scale-beam sui'licient to break thetoggle-links K, but which does not assist in further movement ol.l thescale-beam. I have shown such plunger as consisting in a rod M, engagingat its upper end beneath the arm. d of the scale-beam, as clearly shownin Fig. 3. The rod M is surrounded by a tube L, the upper end of thelatter being suppmted around a screw-threaded plug Z, depending from thelower end of the guide A3.

Z indicates a lock-nut for securing the plug inimovably to the guide.Adjustably located `within the lower end of the tubo L is ascrew-threaded sleeve L, surrounded by a nut-lock Z2, through which therod M loosely extends. The spring M surrounds the rod M and bears at itslower end upon the upper IOC IID

end of the sleeve L2 and at its upper end against a collar m, fixed tothe rod M. It is obvious that by adjusting the sleeve L2 the tension ofthe spring i maybe varied, thereby regulating. the pressure exerted bythe upper end of the rod M against the arm d of the scale-beam.

w indicates a hanger-rod for supporting the weights, the upper end ofthe rod being connected to the outer end of the arm d of the scale-beam.lV indicates a weight 'fixed to the lower end of the rod. w am. abovewhich other weights W may be located. w indicates a conical weightloosely supported upon the rod w, which may be liftedto permit thelocation of the weights WV above the weight W.

T he operation of my invention is as follows The proper number ofweights are placed upon the hanger w corresponding to the quantity ofmaterial which it is desired to be weighed. The weights oscillate thescalebeam, thereby lifting upwardly the funnel e and platform E and alsoforcing downwardly the rod M against the tension of the spring M. Thegates H and H2 are opened by oscillating stub-shaft F through the mediumof the hand-lever F. The swinging open of the gates permits the pairs oftoggle-links K and K2 to fall into alinement, as shown in Fig. 4,thereby holding the gates open. The material is supplied to the hopper Gand when both of the gates are open passes freely through the hopper andfunnel e into the bag or other closure. When a sufficient quantity ofmaterial has passed through the funnel e to oscillate the scale-beam apredetermined distance, the cam 7c on the riser K3 thereof engagesbeneath the toggle-links K, breaking the joint thereof so that the innergate H is allowed to close, thereby restricting the ilow of material tothe funnel e to an amount capable of passing through. the notch 7b4 inthe edge of such gate. The tension of the spring M, acting through therod M, assists the material in oscillating the scalebeam sufficiently tobreak the toggle-links K, and thereby close the inner gate. The momentumof the scale-beam, due to the Afirst movement thereof, is prevented frombeing sufficient to break the toggle -links K2 by means of the balls,whicl'i is caught between the lug S and the stop T, thereby stopping themovement of the scale-beam. The ball s, after having stopped themovement of the scale-beam, rolls from above the lug S owing to theweight r oscilating the raceway. The bracket r serves to again oscillatethe raceway in position to locate the ball above the lug S when thematerial has been removed from the platform E. After the inner gate hasbeen closed the material is supplied in a restricted flow to the funnele, and when the weights are counterbalanced by the material the scalebeam i l l moves` such a distance that the cam 762 on the riser K3breaks the toggle-links K2, thereby permitting the outer gate H2 toclose and completely cut eli the 'flow of material to the funnel e. Theweighed material is then removed froin the platformE and a new bag orclosure placed in position to receive the succeeding predeterminedquantity of weighed material.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that l have inventedan improved weighing-maehine in which the material is deposited.directly in the bag or closure for containing the same, in which themain and supplemental flow of material to the closure for receiving thesame are controlled by means directly connected te the scale-beam, andin which the movement of the scalebeam to restrict the flow of materialis assisted by a spring-plunger, which ceases to assist the movement ofthe scale-beam prior to the con'iplete cutting off of the supply of thematerial.

Having now fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is#

l. In a weighing-machine, the combination with. a scale-beam, of meansfor supporting upon said scale-beam a receptacle to receive the materialto be weighed, a gate for restricting the flow of material to saidreceptacle, a second gate for cutting off the restricted flow ofmaterial, 'pairs of togglelinks for holding said gates open, and a risercarried by the scale-beam for successively breaking said toggle-linksthereby closing said gates.

2. In a weighing-macliine, the combination with a scale-beam, of means'for supporting upon the scale-beam a receptacle to receive the materialto be weighed, means for restricting the flow of material to saidreceptacle, means vfor cutting off the restricted How of material,mechanism actuated directly by the scale-beam to successively operateboth of said means, means for preventing the scale-beam risingsufficiently when operating said 'first means to operate said secondmeans, and means for assisting the movement of the scale-beam inoperating said first means.

3. In a weighing-machine, the combination with a scale-beam, of meansfor supporting upon the scale-beam a receptacle to receive the materialto be weighed, an oscillating gate for restricting the flow of materialto the receptacle, a rotary shaft to which said gate is fixed, ahand-lever on said shaft, a second gate for cutting off the restrictedflow of material, mechanism actuated directly by the scale-beam forsuccessively closing said gates, and means for opening both of saidgates by moving said handlever.

4. n a weighing-machine, the combina- IOO IIO

tion With a scale-beam, of means for suplor restricting the lloW ofmaterial to said rcporting upon the scale-beam a receptacle to receivethe material to be Weighed, a gate for restricting the How of materialto said receptacle, an oscillating shaft to which said gate is lixed, ahand-lever on said shaft, a second gate for cutting oll`y the restrictedIlow of material, pairs of toggle-links for holding said gates open, ariser carried by the scalebeam lcr successively breaking saidtogglelinks and therebjiT closing said gates, and means for opening bothof said gates by a movement of said hand-lever.

5. In a Weighing-machine, the combination With a scale-beam, of meansfor supporting upon tlie-scale-beam a receptacle to receive the materialto be weighed, means oeptacle, means for cutting oil' the restrictedlloW of material, mechanism actuated directlgT bj; thel rising el: thescale-beam for successivelji' operating both ot said mans, aspring-actuated plunger' eiigaging said scalebeam and tending to lilftthe same, and means for discoiitinuing the action of said plunger whenthe scale-beam has moved su'l'liciently to operate said lirst means.

ln testimonjv whereof l sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

GE O. HOEPNER.

litnesscs GEO. L. WiLIiiNsoN, EDWIN M. AsnCRAFT, Jr.

